Bottle-cap machine



' 1,635,454 July 12, 1927. A. c ARTZ I BOTTLE CAP MACHINE Filed Au z. 25. 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 1927' A. c. ARTZ BOTTLE CAP MACHINE Filed Auz. 25. 1925 a she ts-sheet 3 July 12, 1927. A C. ARTZ BOTTLE CAP MACHINE Filed Aug. 2 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 gfi gi 3 v? July 1-2, 1927 I 1,635,454 A. C. ARTZ I BOTTLE CAP MACHINE Filed Aug. 25. 192.3 a Sheets-Sheet 6' 554 4 2?; ,za i I- 1,635,454 July 12 A. c ARTZ V BOTTLE CAP MACHINE Filed Adz. 25. 1925 a Sheets-Sheet )hT/VESS 1m;

Patented July 12, 1927.

ANTHONY C. ARTZ, OF LOWVILLE, NEW YO PORATION, OF LO'WVILLE, YO

RK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BEAVERLAND COR- RK, A CORPORATION OI NEW YORK.

BOTTLE-CAP MACHINE.

Application filed August 25, 1925. Serial No. 52,800.

This invention relates to amachine for manufacturing bottle caps, and more specifically to a machine for manufacturing bottle caps of the character shown and described in Reissue Letters-Patent No. 12,529 dated September 4, 1906, and the machine of this invention is an improvement upon the machine shown and described in Letters-Pat-.

ent of the United States N 0. 1,178,177 dated April 4, 1916.

The machine of the patentlastvabove-referred to has the disadvantage that it lacks means for carefully andaccurately centering the top and bottom disks of the cap, andfor that reason there is apt to be and often is a variation from concentric arrangement of the top and bottom disks, and that con dition has to a substantial extent limited the use of caps of this construction as it is a serious objection when the caps are used in an automatic capping machine.

The main object of this invention is the production of a machine that will produce a cap or seal of the class referred to in which centering of the top and bottom disks of the cap is assured, such assured concentric relation of said disks permitting the application of the seal by automatic capping machines Without difiiculty, andtrouble.

Other objects and advantages relate to the details of the structure for carrying out the main object above described and to the various structural features of the machine in which it differs from the patented structure above referred to.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section on line 55, Figure 1. c

Figure 6 is a. top plan view partially in section taken on line 66, Figure 5 Figure 7 is a sectional view of the dies and supports for centering the upper and lower disks of the cap, and for cutting the former from its respective ribbon of paper material.

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8, Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a section on line 9-9, Figure 6.

Figure 10 is-a section on line 1010, Figure 5.

Figures 11 and 12 are respectively a perspectlve and a sectional view of a cap produced by the machine of this invention.

Figure 13 is an end View of therolls for driving the ribbon from which the top disk is cut showing the ratchet and pawl mechanism for intermittently driving the rolls.

Figure 14 is a section on line 14-14, Figure 1.

Figure 15 is Figure 1.

Figures 16 and 17 show a slightly modified form of structure in which the centering of the top and bottom disk of the cap is effected without reversing the ribbon.

Figure 18 is a perspective view of the lower roll which drives the ribbon from which the top disk is on It will only be necessary to describe in a section on line 15-15,

a general Way the structure and operation of the known machine as illustrated in the mechanical patent above referred to, reserving for specific description those additional features of the present machine differing in structure and operation from the-machine of the patent referred to.

The disks of which my closure is com prised are preferably stamped or punched from paper strips or ribbons of suitable width and thickness, vided in the form of compact unwinding rolls. I prefer to mount these rolls upon suitable spools, and the spools in suitable manner and position to feed their respective strips in proper direction into the machine.

In the drawings, I have shown a shaft 21, providing acommon axle for the spools 22-, 23 and 24-, the spool which may be pro- I 22- carrying the roll 25- of the wider strip -26- from which the larger disk A is to be stamped or punched, which larger disk in this character of cap is adapted to cover the mouth of thebottle. The spool -23 carries the roll 27- of the strlp or ribbon 28 from which the disk B adapted to enter the mouth of the bottle is to be punched or stamped, and the spool -24 carries the roll 29- of the strip -30- which in this case is constituted of two thicknesses of the paper strip and from whichthesmaller spacing disks C are punched or stamped.

These three spools rotate freely on shaft or axle -21 with preferably sufficient frictional resistance to prevent unwinding faster than positively caused by the feed mechanism hereinafter described.

For the machine proper, I provide a heavy table or frame-base 31- carrying the bedplate 32. Upon the plate 32' are mounted the standards -'33- and -34-, in which is journaled the main driving shaft -'35 carryin the fast and loose pulleys 44-- on the main driving shaft -35 Similarly mounted on the plate 32 are the standards -46, 47-- and '48-' in which is journaled' the shaft -49 driven from the shaft -41-- by means of the intermeshing mitre gears -.-50 and -51, the former being fixed on the shaft 49 and the latter upon the shaft --41-'-.

- As herebefore stated, this stri -26 is intended to provide the larger 'sks which are designed to cover the mouths of the bottles, and as these disks provide an exposed face, it is usually desira 1e to place thereon some form of advertising matter. If such advertising matter is in the form of printing it will be apparent that the printing operation should take place prior to the cutting or 7 punching of the disk. Such printing mechanism does not, however, constitute a portion of the invention here described, but is disclosed in the. mechanical patent above re- 7 ferred to, and in Figure 1 in top plan and in Figure 2 in elevation, I have shown at -67- a rinting mechanism such as that disclosed 1n the above mechanical patent as actuated from the shaft and including shaft -93, gears 94-, 95- and 96-, the latter gear being mounted on the shaft -49.-, all as disclosed in the abovementioned patent. The mechanism for intermittently advancing the strip 26- will be hereinafter described, as the same is novel in the present machine.

Journaled in suitable bearings near the bases of the standards 33 and -34 is the shaft 106 which is provided at one extremity thereof with a fixed crank 107 to the end-of which is pivoted the pitman 108 eccentrically pivoted to the disk wheel 109 at the end of the shaft-41- whereby upon rotation of said shaft -41-,: said crank 107 will be reciprocated and the shaft 106 rocked. Upon the base -32 is provideda frame comprising two side members 110 and 111, preferably braced by rods or bars 112. To

the side 110 of said frame is fixed a stud 113- upon which is mounted to rotate a gear 114 rigidly connected to a concentric ratchet wheel 115. Similarly mounted to rotate upon said stud 113 is the swinging or reciprocating arm 116 carrying the oppositely disposed spring-pressed pawls 117 and 118.

It will be apparent that one pawl alone sufliceto intermittently rotate said might a 115,but the use of two is preferred,

ratchet the pawl 118 being provided with a reversed point, the relatlve location of the points of the pawls 117 and 118 being such that when one ofthem engages a tooth of the ratchet, the other is midway between two of said teeth whereby there is a minimum of lost motion.

' Upon the shaft 106 is fixed arm 119, while connecting rod 120-is pivoted at one end to said arm 119, and at the other end to the arm 116 whereby when said shaft 106 is rocked, the arm 116 is reciprocated. Reciprocation of the arm 116 operates through one or the other of the pawls 117 and 118 to rotate gear 114 through a distance which reciprocation of said arm 116. The springpressed detent 121 cooperates with said ratchet 115 to prevent rotation in a reverse direction. The length of this stroke of reciprocation may be varied by means of the ad'usting screw 122 threaded into the pivot hearings 123 of the rod 120, which bearings are slidable in the groove 124 in saidarm 119.

-Journaled in hearings in the frame members 110 and 111 an: the two pairs of shafts 125 and 126, and 127 and.128. The shafts 125 and 126 carry the rollers 129 and 130 respectively, while the shafts 127 and 128 carry the rollers 131 and 132 respectively each pair of rollers being rotated at opposite ends of their respective shafts and in the path of movement of the strips --30 and --28-- respectively, whereby the strip 28- passes between the rollers 129 and 130 and distance at each step than the strip 131 and 132 and is intermittently fed forwardly by the latter.

All of these rollers are preferably milled or burred in order to firmly grip the strip and the shafts 125 and 127 are shown mounted in bearings which are vertically adjustable through the screws 133 and 134 respectively, in order to vary the pressure between each pair of rollers.

The shafts 125 and 126 are inter-geared and the shaft 125 positively driven by the gear 114 at intermittent movement, asp plained. The shafts 127 and 128 are similarly inter-geared and the shaft 127 is positively driven by means of the gear 135, corresponding to the gear 114 and intermittently rotated by means precisely similar to the means employed to rotate the gear 114, the shaft 106 being provided with an arm 136 corresponding to the arm 119 for this purose.

p It will be apparent that as the shaft 106 is .rocked and the gears 114 and 135 advanced in a corresponding step by step movement, each of the upper rollers in said two bars thereof will be positively rotated in yieldingly positive cooperative relation to the lower rollers of these pairs, and the strips 30- and 28- being held firmly therebetween will be independently advanced.

As explained, the distance through which the strip -28 is advanced may be adjusted by means of the screw 122 in the arm 119, and the distance through which the strip 30 is advanced in a similar manner.

It will be noted that the rollers controlling the movement of the strip 28 are entirely independent of the movement of the rollers controlling the strip 30 and that the rotating mechanism is capable of individual adjustment, whereby the strip 28- may be advanced a slightly greater -30-, as is desired on account of the fact that the disks cut from the latter are slightly less in diameter than those out from the former.

Journaled in the upwardly projecting arms 137 and 138 of the heavy standard 139, is a shaft 140, provided between said arms 137 and 138 with a double-crank 141 which operates the pitn'ian 142. to the lower end of which is secured the block 143 vertically slidable in guides 144 and 145. This block 143 carries the two dies or punches 146 and 147 cooperating with corresponding apertures or female dies 148 and 149 in the plate 150 carried by the standard 139. The die or punch 146 is located immediately above the path of movement of the strip 28 and is of a diameter to punch or cut a disk of proper size from this strip. Similarly, the die or punch 147 is located above the path of movement of the strip 30 and is adapted to cut a disk of a. member 165, which respectively.

proper size therefrom. The shaft 140 is driven by means of a gear 213 meshing with the gear 42 on the shaft 41.

The disk cut by the die 146 is forced through the aperture 148 and drops upon the plate 32 immediately thereunder. The disk cut or punched by the die 147 is not permitted to drop upon the plate 32, but is engaged by and supported upon a pair of strips or small shelves 151 and 152, suitably mounted at a distance from each other which is slightly less than the diameter of the disk whereby said strips will engage diametrically opposite portions of the edge of said disk. As indicated in Fig. 7, these strips or shelves 151 and 152 terminate at a point substantially midway between the apertures 148 and 149, and the upper faces or edges of said strips are located in a plane above the upper face of the disk which has been punched by the die 146'and which now rests upon the plate 32.

Suspended below the plate 32 is a track 153 upon which travels a carriage 154 preferably provided with the track rollers 212. This carriage 154 is reciprocated and such reciprocation properly timed by means of the swinging arm 155 pivoted to the frame 31 at 156, a connecting rod 157 being interposed between the other end of-said arm 155 and said carriage 154. The arm 155 is reciprocated by means of the rod 158 pivoted to said arm 155 and to the end of the crank 159 driven by the miter-gears 160 and 121, the latter being mounted upon the end of the shaft 162. The shaft 162 is driven by the miter-gears 163 and 164, the latter being mounted at the end of the shaft 58.

By reference to Figs. 6 and '7, it will be seen that the carriage 154 is provided with projects upwardly through a slot 166 in the plate 32, this-slot 166 being substantially less in width than the diameter of the disk punched by the. die 146, in order that said disk will be supported by the plate 32 in position over said slot in a similar manner to that in which the disk cut by the punch 147 is supported upon the strips 151 and 152. This member 165 of the carriage 154 is provided with a pair of arms 167 and 168 located immediately above the I,

of the plate 32 and, stroke of said carsaid carriage. Normally, the front or forstrip 26 from ameter is to be cut and which, therefore, is

ward edge of this plate 169 is slightly in advance of the working edge of-the pusher provided by the arms 167 and 168-the distance between these two working edges being intended to closely approximate the difference between the radii of the two disks cut by the dies 146 and 147. It will be apparent that as the carriage 154 is moved forward from the position indicated in Figure 7 after operation 'of the dies 146 and 147 and with the disks cut thereby resting upon the plate 32 and. the strips 151 and 152, respectively, the plate 169, which is located in a plane immediately above the plane of the upper faces of the strips 151 and 152, will first impinge against the disk which rests upon said strips and carry the same forward and over the ends of said strips, whereupon said disk will be superposed upon the larger disk which rests upon the plate 32 underneath the the 146. Mounted upon the plate 32 on either side of the slot 166 are the strips 170, 171 and 172, and their opposite counterparts, each set thereof being superposed in stepped relation to form a guideway for the two now superposed disks. properlyc'enter said disks laterally, and they are otherwise centered by a suitably stepped 'stop at the end of the path of movement of said carriage, which for this purpose cooperates with the pusher provided by the arms 167 and 168 and with the working edgeof the plate 169-which, s will be remembered, is slightly in advance 5f said pusher. These two superposed disks are' designed to be brought to a-position of rest underneath the i which the disk of greatest diobviously of greater width than the diameter of the larger of the two superposed disks thereunder. In order that the working edge of the plate 169, which is advancing in contact with the upper and smaller of the two superposed disks, may not at the end of this advancing operation engage the edge of the strip 26, which is lying in a position which is rectangular to the direction of movement of said carriage and which is, as explained, wider than the diameter of either of the two disks which are to be carried thereunder, the plate 169.is so mounted upon the carriage 154 as to have a slight longitudinal movement with respect thereto. This movement is of a sliding character, between suitable guides, and is limited in a forward direction by the pin 173 fixed upon said carriage and projecting into an elongated notch 174 in the forward edge of the plate 169, while the rear end 175 of said plate is acted upon by a spring 176 in a suitable ocket at the rear end of said carriage. This spring normally This guideway is adapted to 'reciprocated by operates to retain said plate 169 in its most advanced position, in which position it is adapted to do the required work. This construction, however, enables me to interpose a suitable stop just prior to the point of engagement between the working edge of said plate 169 and the edge of the strip 26 whereby, while said carriage continues to advance to deliver the superposed disks to their properly adjusted position, said plate 169 is. 7 checked and contact with the strip 26 prevented, energy being stored in the spring 176 to return said plate to normal position upon the backward stroke of said carriage. It will be apparent that by proper adjustment of this mechanism reciprocation of the carriage 154 may be properly timed to slide the smaller upon and substantially concentric to the larger disk during the elevation of the dies 146 and 147 for a subsequent operation. After said disks have'been superposed on the plate 32, continued forward movement of the carriage 154 carries them into and along the guideway and to a final position of rest immediately under the strip 26, which has been guided to a slightly elevated position at this point in order to permit of this operation.

When in this final position of rest, the two superposed disks are not only immediately under the strip 26, but are, at this point, together with said strip, interposed between the co-acting parts of the stitching mechanism. This stitching mechanism may be of any one of many well known forms, and as no invention is claimed for such mechanism, per se, it will only be generally described here. I prefer that such mechanism should comprise means for guiding and feeding a strand of wire from a suitable coil or spool thereof to the proper point, means for cutting therefrom a blank or section of proper v length and forming the same into a staple, means for forcing the parallel ends of said staple through the three superposed layers of material, and means for bending and clenching said ends on the underside of said layers.

Suitably mounted on the plate 32 are brackets 177 carrying the spool 178 upon which is wound a strand'of wire 179 of suchgage and quality as commonly employed for wire stitching. This wire 179 is properly directed to the feed mechanism 180 by means of a suitable guide 181. This feed mecha- 12 nism forces a regulated length of wire over an anvil (not shown) in the block 182, 00- operating with which anvil is the usual former, driven by the cam 183, and adriver,

the pitinan 184 mounted on 2 the pin 185 projecting eccentrically from the cam 183. These elements form one of the. two cooperating mechanismswhich arecomprised in many well known forms of wire stitchers, or more properly, wire-stapling 110' clenching operation,

machines. Asis well known, a single operation of these parts results in the feeding of a proper length of the wire, cutting the blank, forming the staple, and driving the latter through the materials to be joined together, which, as has been shown, are properly located below this mechanism.

Immediately following the forming and driving operation, aforesaid, the ends of the staple on the other side of the material through which they have been forced, are clenched, or folded toward each other and down against the material, by means of a pair of grooved and pivoted formers 186 simultaneously reciprocated by means of the vertically sliding rod 187 having bearings in the frame 188 suspended from the plate 32, and in the bearing plate 189; This rod 187 is normally withheld in its retracted or lowermost position by means of the spring 190, and positively driven in its upward or clenching stroke by means of the arm 191 fulcrumed at 192 and reciprocated by means of the pin 193 on the disk 194 fixed upon the shaft 195. This shaft 195 is jour naled in suitable hangers 196, and preferably driven by means of a chain 197 cooperating with a sprocket wheel on said shaft and with a corresponding sprocketwheel on the shaft 58.

It will be apparent that the above briefly described staple-forming, driving and may be so timed that rest of the strip 26 with the printed form thereon immediately above the superposed and properly located disks, the three members will be firmly stitched or stapled together. I

The structure of machine so far described is known, and is substantially the same as that shown and described in the mechanical patent above referred to.

In the present machine, in order to accomplish the objects above specified, the shaft 49- has been lengthened, and an additional bearing 300 is provided for the extended portion of said shaft, and just beyond the stapling mechanism described there is provided a means for additionally clenching the wire staple in the form of a during the period of properly located and V plunger 301 movable in a cylindrical bracket 302 bolted to the frame at 303 and provided with a clenching shoe 304 at its lower end adapted to press the staple 305 against a hardened plate 306 carried by the frame 32.

The movement of the plunger 301 is effected by means of a cam 307 mounted on shaft 49 and adapted to contact with a roller 308 carried by the upper end of the plunger so "that at each rotation of shaft 49 the to effect staple.

plunger 301 is moved downwardly the additional clenching of the The return movement of the plunger 301 is effected by the spring 309, and is best illus trated in Figure 5.

The mechanism for feeding the strip 26 through the machine is substantially different from that of the'machine described in the patent above referred to.

For the purpose of producing a positive feed of the strip 26- aipredetermined distance at each step or alternate stage of movement, there is provided in this machine a pair of opposed rollers 310 and 311 mounted upon the shafts 312 and 313 respectively such shafts being provided with cooperating gears 314 and 315 for efiecting a simultaneous drive of the rollers in a step-by-step manner, as effected by the ratchet, and pawl mechanism, perhaps best illustrated in Figure 13.

The shaft 313 at the end opposite the gear 315 is provided with a ratchet 316 and a rock-arm 317 mounted for rotation on the shaft 315 and provided with a spring pressed 7 the ratchet 316 and rotating it in a step-bystep manner in a direction to feed the strip or ribbon 26- forwardly through the machine. The movement of the rock arm 317 may be effected in any suitable manner, as for instance by connecting-rod 319 connected to the bell crank lever 320 which in turn is connected to the crank 321 eccentrically secured to gear 322 in mesh with the ear 60-- as best illustrated in Figure 5. owever, any suitable means for driving the rock arm 317 may be provided, as desired.

In order to prevent reverse rotation of the rolls, I have provided a contact member 323 in the form of a" brake, and this brake or contact-member may be mounted and secured in any suitable manner, as upon a bracket 324 secured adjustably by bolt 325 to the frame 32.

In order to efiect a positive drive of the strip 26 a predetermined distance at each step or stage'of operation, the lower roll 311 is formed as perhaps best illustrated in F igure 6 with a series of peripheral recesses of circular shape, and of a size adapted to receive the disk B, which is adaptedto fit in the neck of the bottle so that as the strip 26 is moved along step by step with the disks C and B stapled thereto at each step, a disk 0 fits itself into one of the circular recesses 326 in the roll 311 and the strip 26 is thereby positively moved forwardly a pre-determined distance and any slip is prevented. I i

Preferably, the lower roll 311 is likewise formed with a circumferentially extending groove 400 extending around the, roll at substantially the center of the recesses 327 adapted for the reception of the contact member or brake 323. The roll 310 is preferably provided with similar circular repawl 318 for engaging the teeth of cesses 327, and these recesses in the roll 310 act to prevent any blotting of the advertising matter printed upon the upper surface of the strip -26-.

The roll 311. is, as shown, inserted in an opening in the frame 32 and the strip 26 with disks B and O stapled thereto is fed downwardly through the opening 328 over the curved guides 329 and 330 and rear-. wardly into the machine toward the rollers 310 and 311, as best illustrated in Figure 5. The feed of the strip -26, with disks B andC stapled thereto, to the stamping mechanism for the larger disk A is effected by means of a pusher or push-rod 331 preferably formed in two adjustable sections connected together by screws secured to one section, and movable in slots in the other section, as illustrated. The section 332 may carry the screws and is formed at its forward end with a concavity, or arcuate edge, which is adapted to receive the edge of the disk B, and when the pusher is moved forwardly will act to move the strip-26- with the disks B and C stapled thereto forwardly a distance dependent upon the distance of movement of the pusher.

The other part 333 may contain the slots and may be journaled at its rear end upon a stub shaft 334 carried by bracket 335 slidable on bar 336, which bar carries the guide 330. The section 333 is preferably at its forward end of a width suflicient to extend across and contact with the laterally adjustable guide plates 337 and 338 disposed upon opposite sides of the rearwardly moving strip 26 so as to slide along said guides as the pusher is moved forwardly, and preferably asshown in Figure 8, the opposite sides of the section 332 are equipped with 7 adjustable contact-members 339 in the form of adjustable screws that contact with the opposite guide-plates 337 and 338 respectively o ermit accurate adjustment of the arcuate e ge of the section 332 for contact with the disk B; The forward portion of the guides 337 and 338 are formed with inward lateral extensions having grooves 340 in which the opposite edges of the strip 26 are adapted to slide as the strip is moved rearwardly by the pusher 331, as est illustrated in Figures 6 and 8, so as to assure accurate vertical positioning of the strip during its rearward movement. The pusher 331 acts intermittently to move one of the disks B directly beneath the die341 by means of which the disk A is stamped from the strip 26- in a manner to assure concentric relation of the disks A and B, and for this purpose the die 341 is formed with a frusto-comcal, or inwardly-concave portion constituting a self-centering section for the disk B so that the edge of the disk B is automatically centered with the edge of the die 341 so that when the disk A is, punched from the strip 26 by downward movement of the die 341 past the upwardly flanged edge 342 surrounding the aperture 343 in a plate 344 secured to the frame -32, concentric arrangement of' disks A and B is assured and the frame itself is provided at this point with .an enlarged aperture 345 aligned with the aperture 343 and permitting the downward passage of the completed cap.

For the purpose of moving the disk B into the tapered recess in the die or punch 341 to accurately center the parts before the disk A iscut from strip -26-, I have provided a supporting member 346 having an annular contact surface cess for receiving the projecting part of the staple 347. This contact or supportingmember is mounted upon a rock-arm 348 by means of a rod 349 extending through the end of the arm and provided with adjusting nuts 350, spring 351 being interposed between the contact member 346, which is rigidly secured to the rod 349 and the rock arm 348 so that the contact or lifting member is resiliently supported by the rock-arm.

The rock-arm 348 may, as shown, he pivoted at 352 to the frame 32, and may be actuated by the pitman 353 connected to an 1ntermediate portion of the rock-arm to intermittently raise the contact member, bring it into contact with the strip 26- and move the and a central redisk B into the self-centering recess in the V a .is secured in the block 356 in any suitable manner, and preferably includes a cup-shape member 357 arranged within the die, and spring-supported therein by plunger 358 and spring 359 interposed between an enlarged end of the plunger 358 and a portion of the die 341 so as to normall hold the cup-shape ejecting member'357 tightly seated in the cup-shape recess withinthe die.

In order to eject the caps from the die there is provided a member 360 pivoted in a lateral opening in the block 356 and having one end in contact with the plunger 358, and its other end movable in a vertical slot formed in a bracket 361 carried by the frame 357, as best illustrated in Figures 5 and 15, so that as the block 356 moves downwardly, the member 360 remains in the position shown in Figure 5 until a position oft-he die is reached where the projecting end of member 360 contacts with the portion of the strip with the strip 26-, and at that point the member 360 is tilted about its axis by slight continued downward movement of the die,

whereby plunger 358 is pressed downwardly to thereby eject the cap from the die, and the cap normally remains on the supporting member 346 until that member tilts downwardly and the cap drops 0E into a receptacle provided for that purpose. The strip 26 as best shown in Figure 6 continues to move rearwardly through the guide 362 provided for thatpurpose, and is discharged from the machine with the waste of strips 28 and 30-. for reciprocating the bracket 335 and thereby driving the pusher 331 may be of any suitable form, as for instance, the member or bell-crank 362 pivoted at any desirable point on the frame of the machine, and having a bar or rod 363 pivotally connected to the bracket, as perhaps best illustrated in Figure 14 formoving said bracket forwardly and rearwardly along the guide-bar 336 as the member 362 is rocked about its pivot in any suitable manner, as by crank 364 and crank-pin 365 driven from any desirable moving portion of the machine, spring 90 being provided tending to retract the pusher.

It will be obvious that there is provided in this machine a means for positively moving the strip 26- with the disks B and C stapled thereto a predetermined distance at each step or cycle of operation, and that in this machine the position of the strip -26- after it passes the initial driving means, is reversed, and is fed again into the machine 26- upside down and the upon the upper side of the strip, at which time the disk B is automatically centered with the die that is to stamp or punch the disk- A from the strip 26, whereby concentric arrangement of the disks A and B is assured in the completed cap permitting the use of thecap in automatic capping machines without difliculty.

In Figures 16 and 17 a modified form of structure is shown in that the position of the strip 26 is not reversed and the strip is fed directly through the machine from and by the initial feeding rolls without turning the strip upside down. In this construction the die 366 may be of any suitable form, but should have a central recess to provide space for the staple 347. The automatic centering in this structure is effected by means of the support or contact member 367 which is driven and actuated in the same manner as the support or contact member 346. However, to accomplish its object in the construction of Figures 16 and 17, it is. necessary to make the contact member 367 with a central recess and a frusto-conical interior surface of a diameter adapted to receive and automatically center'the disk B, as best disks B and C The mechanism shown in Figure 17. When this contact member 367 is elevated by the rock arm 348, the disk B facing downwardly in the position in which it was stapled to the strip -26, the disk B is fitted within the tapered recess in the centering member 367 and IS thereby automatically centered with respect to the edge ofthe member 367 and with respect to the die 366, which is adapted to stamp the disk A from the'strip 26 by pressing the disk through the aperture 368 in the plate 369, which plate partially covers the opening 370 in the frame -32.

Preferably the edge of the plate 369 surrounding the opening 368 is flanged upwardly to provide a cutting-edge of a size to determine with the die 366 the size and form of the disk A.

In order to permit automatic centering of disk B with respect to the support 267, a limited movement of strip 26 is required between the positive driving rolls 310 and 311 and the support 367 so that the strip 26- may move endwise to a limited extent to effect accurate centering. For this purpose there is provided an upwardly bowed spring or flexible member 371 positioned between the roll 310 and the support 367, and adapted to normally support the strip -26- in an upwardly bowed position so that the length of the strip between the roll 310 and the support 367 is greater than the distance between those two members, thereby permitting the strip to be moved en dwise, as for instance by partially straightening the bow in the spring to permit accurate centering of the disk B.

In this structure in like manner concentric arrangement of the disks A and Bis assured. Spring-member 376 having an inclined bifurcated portion between which rod -49- moves is provided for separating the caps from the supporting member 367 and assuring their discharge from the machine.

As before stated, in both of these structures the rock-arm 348 may be moved in any suitable manner, as by pitman 353, driven by crank-pin 372 on disk 373 driven from the main driving-shaft of the machine in like manner as the disk 374 driven by shaft 375 from the same initial driving source.

'Altho I have shown and described specific constructions of machine and parts thereof, as constituting embodiments of my invention, I do not desire to restrict myself to the details of the structure, or the parts thereof, as various changes may be made in each of the same without departing 'from the in vention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with means for advancing suitable blanks, of means for cutting a disk from one thereof, and conveying said disk and securing the same to another blank, and means for cutting from said lastnamed blank a disk and means for maintaining said disks in concentric arrangement. h

2. The combination with means for advancing suitable blanks, of means for cutting a disk from one thereof, and conveying said disk, and securing the same to another blank, and means for cutting a disk from said last mentioned blank including means for centering the first-named disk with respect to said last-named cutting-means.

3. The combination with means for advancing suitable blanks, of means for cutting a disk from one thereof and conveying said disk and securing the same to another blank, means for cutting a disk from said last-mentioned blank including means for centering the first-named disk with respect to said cutting-means, and means for ejecting said disk from said centering means.

4. A cap machine comprising means for cutting a disk from a suitable blank and for conveying said disk and securing the same to another blank, and means forfeeding the last-named blank through the machine, including means for receiving said disk and means for cutting a disk from the last named blank to produce a cap.

last-named blank cutting a disk from a suitable 5. A cap machinecomprisin means for cutting a disk from a suitable b ank and for conveying said disk and securing the same to another blank, and means for feeding the through the machine, including a roll having av eripheral recess for receiving said disk and means for cutting a disk from thellast nan ed blank to produce a cap.

6. A cap machine comprising means for b ank and for conveyingsaid disk and securing the same to another blank, and means for feeding the last-named blank through the machine including a pair of opposed rolls, one of w ich rolls has a peripheral recess of a size adapted to receive said disk and means for cutting a disk from the last named blankto produce a ca 7. A cap machine comprising means for cutting a disk from a suitable b ank and for conveying said disk and securing the same to another blank, means for feeding the lastnamed blank through the machine, including a pair of opposed rolls, one of which rolls has a peripheral recess of a size adapted to receive said disk, and a step-by-step mechanism for rotating the rolls and means a disk from one for cutting a disk fromthe last named blank to produce a cap.

8. The combination with means for advancing suitable blanks of means for cutting thereof, and conveyin sai disk and securing the same to another lank, and means for feeding the last-named blank through the machine, including means for inverting the blank and means for cutting a rection,

blank, and means the last-named blank including a die and a disk from the last named blank to produce a cap.

9. The combination with means for advancing suitable blanks, of means for cutting a disk from one thereof, and conveying said disk and securing the same to another blank, and means for feeding the last-named blank through the machine, including means for inverting the blank, andfor feeding said blank into the machine in a rearward diand means for cutting a disk from the last-named blank including automatic aenltering means engaging the first-named 10. The combination with means for advancing suitable blanks, of means for cutting a disk from one thereof, and conveying sai blank, and means for cutting a last-named blank including automatic centering means engaging the first-named disk.

11. The combination with means for advancing suitable blanks, of means for cutting a disk from one thereof, and conveying said disk and securing the same to another blank, and means for cutting a disk from the last-named blank including a die and a support, one of which members includes automatic centering means for receiving the first-,

named disk.

12. The combination with means for advancing suitable blanks, of means for cutting a disk from one thereof, and conveyin said disk and securing the same to anotherilank and means for cutting a disk from the last named blank including a die and asupport, one of. said members including a tapered recess for automatically centerin the firstnamed disk with respect to the 'e.

13. The combination with means for advancing suitable blanks, .of means for cutting a disk from one thereof, and conveying said disk and securing the same to another for cutting a' disk from support, one of said members including a tapered recess, for automatically centering the first-named disk with respect to the die, and means for intermittently moving said support to efiect such automatic centering of the disk.

14. The combination with means for cut ting a disk from each of all but one of a plurality of strips, and means for assembling and delivering said one face of the un-cut strip, and means for securing said disks to each other, and to said strip, of a step-by-step mechanism for positively feeding said strip forwardly through the machine, means for inverting the strip, and means for feeding the strip in a rearward direction into the machine in a stepby-step manner, and means for cutting a disks in juxtaposition todisk and securing the same to another disk from the' ion inverted.

Securing said disks to each 15. The combination with means for cutting a disk from each of all but one of a plurality of strips, and means for assembling and delivering said disks in juxtaposition to one face of the un-cut strip, and means for other, and to said strip, of a step-by-step mechanism for positively feeding said strip forwardly through the machine, means for inverting the strip,

, 10 means for feeding the strip in a rearward direction into the machine in a'step-by-step manner, means for cutting a disk from the said strip after it has been inverted, a die, and means engaging one of the disks for automatically centering saiddisk with respectto the die.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set 111 hand this 5th day of June, 1925.

ANTHONY o. ARTZ. 

